IRVINE, Calif. (NCBWA) – Forty players have been named
to the initial watch list for the sixth annual National Collegiate
Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award, given
to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball, as announced
by the association Thursday.

Last year's Stopper of the Year winner, Addison Reed of San Diego
State, headlines the list of preseason nominees for the 2010 award.
Reed recorded a nation-leading 20 saves in 20 opportunities last
season, finished the year with a microscopic 0.65 earned run average
and 38 strikeouts over his 27.2 innings of work. He allowed only
seven walks, with two of those being intentional passes and his
save total was a new San Diego State and Mountain West Conference
season record.

Reed is joined by two of the five finalists for last season's
award in LSU's Matty Ott and two-time finalist Eric Pettis of UC
Irvine, both NCBWA first-team preseason All-Americans. Ott burst
onto the national scene as a freshman in 2009, establishing an LSU
school-record with 16 saves. He struck out 69 and walked just six
in 50.1 innings of work. Pettis had a strong 2009 season where he
had a 5-2 record with a 3.86 ERA and 17 saves, while striking out
37 batters in 42 innings. He walked just seven, while allowing 18
earned runs.

Among the other most notable nominees are the three relief pitching
members of the NCBWA preseason All-American second team (Ryan Duke
of Oklahoma, Chris Franklin of Southeastern Louisiana and Tyler
Mizenko of Winthrop), along with all four members of the third team
(Mitchell Lambson of Arizona State, Colin Bates of North Carolina,
Collin Cargill of Southern Miss and Michael Schum of Wright State).

The Big 12 Conference led the way with five players named to
the preseason watch list. The ACC, Conference USA and the SEC had
four pitchers each on this year's watch list, while the Pacific-10
Conference is represented by three players.

2010 NCBWA STOPPER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST

Pitcher

School

Cl.

Hometown

Kevin Arico

Virginia

Jr.

Flemington, N.J.

Chris Bassit

Akron

So.

Curtice, Ohio

Colin Bates

North Carolina

Jr.

Naperville, Ill.

Chad Bettis

Texas Tech

Sr.

Lubbock, Texas

Mike Bolsinger

Arkansas

Sr.

McKinney, Texas

Collin Cargill

Southern Miss

Jr.

Hattiesburg, Miss.

Andrew Chafin (L)

Kent State

So.

Wakeman, Ohio

Chase Dempsay

Houston

Jr.

Baytown, Texas

Ryan Duke

Oklahoma

Jr.

Corpus Christi, Texas

Chris Enourato

West Virginia

Sr.

Bridgeport, W. Va.

Nick Fleece

Texas A&M

Jr.

Fort Worth, Texas

Chris Franklin

SE Louisiana

Sr.

Oneonta, Ala.

Drew Gagnier

Oregon

Jr.

Santa Cruz, Calif.

Thomas Girdwood

Elon

Jr.

Charlotte, N.C.

Cole Green

Texas

Jr.

Coppell, Texas

Austin Hubbard

Auburn

Sr.

Birmingham, Ala.

Mitchell Lambson (L)

Arizona State

So.

Tualatin, Ore.

Justin Malone

Georgia State

So.

Abingdon, Va.

Eric Marshall

TCU

Sr.

Barrington, Ill.

Cody Martin

Gonzaga

Jr.

Dos Palos, Calif.

Scott Matyas

Minnesota

Jr.

North Prairie, Wis.

Randy McCurry

Oklahoma State

Jr.

Tupelo, Okla.

Kevin McKague

Army

Jr.

Fayetteville, N.C.

Jarad Miller

Valparaiso

Jr.

Fort Wayne, Ind.

Tyler Mizenko

Winthrop

So.

Wallingford, Conn.

Kevin Moran

Boston College

Jr.

Yarmouthport, Mass.

Jake Morgan

Ole Miss

Jr.

Canton, Miss.

Kevin Munson

James Madison

Jr.

Roanoke, Va.

Matty Ott

LSU

So.

Chalmette, La.

Nick Pepitone

Tulane

Jr.

Katy, Texas

Eric Pettis

UC Irvine

Sr.

West Hills, Calif.

Mark Pope

Georgia Tech

So.

Marietta, Ga.

Nick Ramirez (L)

Cal State Fullerton

So.

Anaheim, Calif.

Addison Reed

San Diego State

So.

Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

Kevin Rhoderick

Oregon State

Jr.

Scottsdale, Ariz.

Michael Schum

Wright State

So.

Bright, Ind.

Gabriel Shaw

Louisville

Jr.

Paducah, Ky.

Chad Sheppard

Northwestern State

So.

Enterprise, La.

Seth Simmons

East Carolina

Jr.

Lewisville, N.C.

Zach Varce

Portland

So.

Seattle, Wash.

(L) indicates left-handed pitcher

Nominations for the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award were made
by baseball sports information/media relation contacts. The initial
list will be updated with a mid-season release the week of April
19, including the national saves leaders. At the conclusion of the
regular season, the Division I national saves leader and four other
relief pitching standouts will be selected as finalists and released
Wednesday, June 2, prior to start of NCAA regional tournament competition.

The NCBWA's All-America Committee then will select the winner,
with this year's recipient to be announced on the opening day of
the College World Series on June 19.

Texas hurler J. Brent Cox won the inaugural Stopper of the Year
Award in 2005, with Don Czyz of Kansas claiming the honor in 2006,
Luke Prihoda of Sam Houston State winning it in 2007, Georgia's
Joshua Fields topping the field in 2008 and San Diego State's Addison
Reed grabbing the honor last season.

The NCBWA, founded in 1962, presents the Dick Howser Trophy to
the nation's top player. It also selects All-America Teams for all
Divisions, a Division I Freshman All-American team, Division I and
III Players of the Week, Division I District Players of the Year
and Division III Players of the Year.

For more information on the NCBWA Stopper of the Year, contact
Julie St. Cyr at the Big West Conference at 949-261-2525 or Russ
Anderson at Conference USA at 214-774-1300.